This invention relates to a portable ink fountain insert for an ink fountain of a printing press.
An ink fountain is usually a structural component of an inking mechanism of a printing press and is thus usually fixed to the inking mechanism. A change of ink is usually possible only after the ink in the ink fountain has been completely spent, unless one is willing to incur the great expense of cleaning the partially filled ink fountain.
U.S. Pat. No. 512,562 discloses a portable ink fountain insert for an ink fountain of a printing press wherein the insert includes a front wall and an ink discharge gap at the lower front end of the ink fountain insert closable by a mechanism which includes a threaded rod extending along an interior face of the front wall. The threaded rod is actuated by a screwed-on threaded nut. This prior art structure is not only complicated and structurally expensive, but also has the grave defect that the mechanism for actuating the closing element comes into contact with the ink of the ink fountain and thus is difficult to clean.